Budget airline easyJet has racked up large half-year losses after being stung by the collapse in the value of the Brexit-hit pound and the later timing of Easter, but the firm’s UK country director Sophie Dekkers has told the Bristol Post the company is committed to serving Bristol Airport.

The carrier, which services 62 routes out of Bristol Airport, and flies more than 4.2m passengers annually to and from the airport, reported a £236 million pre-tax loss in the six months to March 31, which compares with an £18 million loss in the same period last year.

But Sophie Dekkers revealed plans to increase the number of easyJet aircraft flying out of Bristol from 12 to 14 over the next 12 months, with the recent addition of new destinations including Pula, in Croatia, and Kefalonia in Greece.

“Bristol is a very good airport for us,” Sophie said, “because we have a good mix of destinations – beach routes, but also domestic and city destinations, which means we have good passenger numbers that are steady throughout the year and are protected from fluctuations in the market.

“Barcelona performs particularly well for us from Bristol, and we will be increasing the frequency over the summer to 28 flights a week to Barcelona,” she added.

“Our focus remains on Bristol as our biggest UK base outside London. We’re working with Bristol Airport to increase frequencies wherever we can in order to stop people having to travel down the M4 to Heathrow in order to reach their destinations at the times they want to travel.”

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Sophie says the impact of the timing of Easter into the second half of the year stood at around £45 million while currency woes cost it £82 million in the period - leaving this morning’s figures an unfavourable reflection of the carrier’s true performance.

Passenger numbers were up 9 per cent to 33.8 million and revenue grew 3.2 per cent to £1.8 billion (£1,827 million).

But strikes, severe weather and airport issues led to disruption to 3,302 flights, up from 2,796 last year.

Sophie Dekkers, easyJet's UK country director

Earlier this week, Robert Sinclair, chief executive at Bristol Airport, writing in the Bristol Post’s sister paper the Western Daily Press, indicated that we could be set to see the cost of flying rise as a result of increased red tape post-Brexit. But Sophie said easyJet has seen nothing from the Government yet to indicate that this will be the case.

In response to Brexit, she says easyJet plans to establish an Air Operator Certificate in another EU member state during the summer in order to secure flying rights for its non-UK routes, which the company expects will cost it £10 million in the next three years.

The firm’s chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall was equally circumspect this morning. She said: “The first half loss is in line with market expectations and reflects the movement of Easter into the second half as well as currency effects which together had an estimated impact of circa £127 million on the bottom line.”

However, Dame Carolyn added that summer bookings are ahead of last year and that demand for flights and holidays remains “strong“, with consumers prioritising travel expenditure over “non-essential” items.

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Revenue grew 3.2 per cent to £1.8 billion in the period, with the company recording a 9 per cent rise in passengers to 33.8 million and a 0.5 per cent increase in load factor to 90.2 per cent.

The group is also in the midst of setting up a new operating company in mainland Europe and applying for a new licence to secure flying rights on continental routes after Brexit.

To this end, easyJet said it “remains on track” to secure a European Air Operator Certificate by the summer.

Dame Carolyn added: “Looking ahead, we are seeing an improving revenue per seat trend as well as the continued reduction of competitor capacity growth.

“Cost performance for the full year will continue to be strong, easyJet is delivering on its strategy of purposeful investment in securing and building strong positions at Europe’s leading airports which is driving competitive advantage with sustainable returns.”

Nevertheless, shares fell 5 per cent in early morning trading following the trading announcement.

easyJet is the biggest carrier at Bristol Airport

Laith Khalaf, senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “Weaker sterling and a late Easter have hit easyJet’s bottom line, as increased costs have more than offset higher revenues. While the airline is flying more passengers, it’s making less money from each seat on its aircraft.

“The good news is UK holiday makers don’t seem to have been put off travelling to Europe by the weaker pound, though they are currently enjoying a boon from lower fuel prices and a highly competitive short haul airline market.

“EasyJet is taking no chances with Brexit, and is in the process of securing an Air Operator Certificate in another EU member state, which will enable it to continue flying passengers on its non-UK routes, though at a cost of £10 million. The vote to leave the EU and the associated fall in sterling have not been good for the airline’s share price, which is currently languishing some 20 per cent below where its stood before the referendum.

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“EasyJet clearly thinks bigger is more beautiful, as it seeks to further increase capacity in an already crowded marketplace. The strategy is to bolster its position on key routes, allowing it to drive better deals with airports and suppliers. Indeed the airline has upgraded an order with Airbus to provide even bigger planes, which will allow EasyJet to fly more people into airports with limited landing slots.

“EasyJet is doing what it can to strengthen its position in tough times, in the hope than when the clouds part, it will be flying higher than its rivals.”